The invention relates to a centrifugal separator for the continuous separation of a solids-liquid mixture which includes a rotatable chamber and a spiral rotatable advancing unit within the chamber. More particularly, the invention relates to an improvement in the advancing structure wherein a wear plate is mounted by an improved structural relationship on a carrier vane.
With the operation of centrifugal separating chambers of the types heretofore available having a spiral advancing unit therein, the spiral advancing unit or worm wears rapidly due to abrasion with the solids mixture that passes through the chamber. The advancing worms have been formed in various constructions to accommodate wear and to obtain as long a wearing life as possible to avoid the necessity of shut-downs and servicing and to insure continued satisfactory operation which cannot occur with too much wear. One manner in limiting the wear and increasing the operating life has been to provide the outer edge of the advancing worm with a wear-proof material, for example, such as stellite or ceramic. These wear plates have been aligned with one another, usually without joints, and have radially extending contact points which may be formed or cut to be flush or may be inclined or may be arranged to be in overlapping relationship. Generally, the wear plates have been welded to the spiral advancing worm, and in other cases they have been affixed with screws or bolts or otherwise welded or cemented in place. With these types of fastenings, when replacement or refinishing of the wear plates had to be accomplished, it could be done only with considerable difficulty and required considerable time for the introduction and exchange of new wear plates for the old. It has been found with many types of attachments such as the use of threaded fasteners that after a short period of operation, the threads become so foul or corroded that they are no longer operative, and the wear plates cannot be removed without some form of cutting or destruction of the threaded elements. It has also been found that where the plates are welded in place, the formation of cracks occur which makes continued operation unsatisfactory and, of course, weakens the construction. Wherein cementing material is used, it has been found to be inadequate in strength to hold the wear plates in place and difficult to remove when exchange is to take place.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved structural arrangement for the fastening of wear plates on spiral or advancing worms for separators wherein the wear plates are quickly and readily removed for replacement without substantial alteration or damage to the carrier worm.
A further object of the invention is to provide a carrier worm and wear plate assembly wherein the unit has a relatively long operating life and satisfactory and secure mounting or attachment remains during the operating life and until the wear plates have to be removed and replaced. It is a further object of the invention to provide a clamping arrangement wherein wear plates can be removed and reattached by an operator who does not require special training or talent and which does not require welding or cementing and wherein the securing means can be quickly removed and used for new wear plates.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved advancing worm structure for a centrifugal separator wherein a plurality of wear plates may be mounted with one clamping piece unit.
Other objects, advantages and features, as well as equivalent structures, which are intended to be covered herein, will become more apparent with the teaching of the principles of the invention in connection with the disclosure of the preferred embodiments thereof in the following specification, claims and drawings, in which: